The Sunday News
TO those of us in the sex education field, there is not a whole lot of mystery about the relationship between circumcision and sexual pleasure. So this week I was tasked to write about circumcision as my inbox was buzzing with circumcision talk, so I figured since I am not a man I will write about it from a female point of view; that is the pleasure from the love cut.
There is a lot of talk about circumcision however, there is continued concern that circumcision may reduce male sexual function and pleasure. The highest-quality studies done suggest that medical male circumcision has no adverse effect on sexual function, sensitivity, sexual sensation, or satisfaction. So this week I took the task to consult women on their views on circumcision.
Missing from the debate about male circumcision has been the question about female pleasure. As a sex educator, I have spoken with a number of women about their experience of intercourse with circumcised and uncircumcised men, and a clear pattern has emerged. It seems that circumcision not only affects male pleasure, it changes how they make love as it is believed that circumcised men tend to penetrate much more vigorously and hit the right spot, in the jackhammer style that is so familiar in everyday intercourse. This style of penetration comes from a desperate search for more stimulation and the need to concentrate sensations on the tip of the penis.
The foreskin has thousands of nerve endings and is an important part of the male sexual system. Removal of the foreskin also leaves the head of the penis as the most sensitive part of the male genitals constantly exposed. Constant rubbing on clothing and exposure to temperature changes reduces the sensitivity and responsiveness of the nerve endings, creating the demand for more stimulation to trigger a pleasure response. Hence the man then takes longer to ejaculate and will last longer during sex which is a plus for some women who take long to climax, but can be a bore when he is not hitting the right spot and yet he wants to stay on top forever.
In most cases the foreskin keeps the glans of the penis moist and warm. During arousal, it slowly retracts to expose the glans and acts as a fleshy sheath through which you can stimulate the penis. Many uncircumcised men love the feeling of the foreskin being moved over their erect penis, just as many women love to have their clitoris stimulated from the side, using the hood to shield direct stimulation. Well, in some cases people get circumcised to reduce chances of HIV infection, since HIV has not reached epidemic status in most countries (circumcision is known or rather viewed by many as a tool for Aids prevention in other parts of the world), the circumcision debate often boils down to sexual pleasure and hygiene and this is where I want to take it this week. Does going foreskin-free affect pleasure for the man or woman? Is being “cut” really cleaner? I do not know but I learnt a lot. We all know circumcision does not affect male sexual drive or functioning. In fact, the odds of premature ejaculation or erectile trouble are not affected by their circumcision status.
Circumcision also helps health wise because when a guy is uncircumcised, moisture can get trapped between his penis and his foreskin, creating the ideal environment for bacteria to incubate and this could result in women who sleep with them having infections such as yeast infections, STIs, (particularly HPV and HIV). Just as it can be tough to keep all the folds of your vulva clean, it can be difficult to keep an uncircumcised penis fresh 100 percent of the time. Although most men that are uncircumcised do a very good job cleaning below the foreskin, it’s more of a task for them. As a result, some women may feel ‘‘cleaner’’ with a man who’s circumcised. That could enhance a woman’s sexual function, just because she feels less likely to get an infection. In fact, from the feedback I gathered most women experience a boost in pleasure after their partners get circumcised and they also highly gave credit to the change to an increase in cleanliness. One email suggested that women enjoy sex more because they are less worried about STIs, not because of any actual anatomical difference in any man.
I also noticed that from the feedback I received there is no clear-cut answer to how circumcision affects female pleasure. Another interesting email suggested that an uncircumcised man’s foreskin can be an advantage as it can be a tool to enhance his partner’s pleasure. She said that when an uncircumcised guy’s foreskin retracts, it may bunch up around the base of his penis, providing a little extra friction against your clitoris and this is going to play a role in pleasure for women who have the clitoral pattern of arousal. Uncircumcised men, on the other hand, often penetrate with more finesse, using a slower rhythm and more of an undulating motion. The intact foreskin acts as a sheath that glides over the penis with every thrust, creating more pleasure and reducing the need to thrust with as much force to create sensation.
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